


spectacular spectacles spectacle

by SPCMRose



Category: Supernatural
Genre: ? kinda, Fluff, M/M, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 10:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5623453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPCMRose/pseuds/SPCMRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompticus 3 :D</p><p>[Alternatively: Sam sees Gadreel's (burnt, frayed, charred) wings, and adorable stuff happens]</p>
            </blockquote>





	spectacular spectacles spectacle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OutOfLuck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OutOfLuck/gifts).



**Remember the episode with the magical glasses so they could see hellhounds? What if it makes angel wings visible, too? Gadreel's very badly damaged wings. What would Sam do if he saw them?**

Murry Chrustmus Outofluck! I hope I filled your request well enough and that you enjoy this piece o’ fluff for your christmas prezzie xoxox ~Secret Santa

ᔕᗩᕍᖇᗴᙓᒪ

“Hey Dean, do you remember these?”

It had been a slow week, no cases and no word from Cas. Sam had taken the time to go through the bunker again. Sure, they’d cleaned it out pretty well when they’d first ‘moved in’ (as Dean liked to put it) but Sam still believed there was useful stuff they’d missed.

Dean looked up from where he’d been doing something on the laptop. Sam didn’t dare to ask what he’d been doing, knowing his computer would be the casualty of whatever sites his brother browsed through. No need to scar himself as well. “What?” Dean replied absentmindedly.

Sam unfolded the arms of the glasses he’d found, gazing at them in nostalgia. “We used these to see those hellhounds, remember? How come we don’t bring out our cool gadgets more often?”

“Yeah and reminisce ‘bout the good ol’ days like Batman in retirement? No thanks.” Dean scoffed and went back to messing with  _ Sam’s _ computer- God damn it.

“Maybe we could use ‘em.” Sam put them into the ‘useful’ pile.

Dean chuckled, noticing his choice. “I don’t think a pair of  _ spectacles _ are gonna help us with Metatron.”

“What is this about Metatron?” A cadenced voice spoke up behind Sam.

The two brothers turned, eyeing their resident angel as he entered the room. Sam gave him a smile, knowing his brother was probably actively avoiding eye contact with Gadreel. It had been awkward at first, Gadreel staying with them, but they were working through it.

Dean had always been justifiably protective of Kevin, and Sam had felt the same way about the prophet. So when Gadreel had attempted to assassinate the innocent youth, both brothers had reacted fiercely.

(He tried not to think about how close it was, how lucky they were that Gadreel realised that murdering an innocent was wrong- even if it did help to revive heaven.)

Sam had forgiven the angel first, how could he not? The millenia old presence had been a part of him for a while, after all. After his attempt to hurt Kevin, Gadreel had joined Sam within his mind and talked to him. Explained to him his story, his motivations for possessing him without  _ true _ consent.

Knowing the angels’ story had dulled his rage partially, for Sam could understand the pain of being betrayed by Lucifer. (Fuck that ‘bag of dicks’, seriously.) But it hadn’t kept him from asking Gadreel to leave.

It became a bit messy after that. Gadreel left, promising to return to finish healing Sam. Dean hadn’t been happy when Sam had filled him in, but the younger had convinced his older brother that Gadreel had made his choice.

He would side with them, and not Metatron. No matter what, an enemy of their enemy was their friend- they needed as many friends as they could have if they were to stand a chance.

“Nothing,” Sam assured. Gadreel was worse than Cas at times, even older and  _ even _ less educated in current social constructs. “Dean was making a joke.”

“Ah,” Gadreel nodded in that stiff way of his. Sam wondered if he would ever get the guy to relax. Sure, he understood the need for good posture- he was a tall guy himself. If he had poor posture he might lose half his height. “Sam, I came out to let you know it is time for your next healing session.”

“If you're up to it,” Sam said. It was what he always said. He knew the angel wasn’t running on a hundred, and that he was only delaying his recovery by helping Sam out.

It was another factor that had played into the brothers’ letting Gadreel stay with them. The angel was selfless, intentions always  _ pure _ . He may have originally offered help to Sam- way back when he was in a coma- because he’d wanted to hide, but from then on he’d risked his life countless times. Letting himself grow so weak by bringing back Cas, Charlie and keeping Sam in fighting condition.

And maybe he’d nearly sided with Metatron, but it had been with the hope of bringing heaven back to its rightful glory. Metatron had mislead the angel, and it wasn’t like either Winchester brother was faultless in that department.

What with Ruby and all…

“Of course,” Gadreel assured.

Sam rolled his eyes. “You’d do it even if you weren’t up to it.”

Dean let out a sound of amusement from his position, but remained silent otherwise. Sam wondered if they needed a group bonding session. Maybe a rousing game of twister, or trust falls.

He knew his brother would come ‘round eventually. He also knew Dean was feeling guilty for tricking Sam into being possessed as well- which didn’t help Dean’s animosity towards the possessor in question.

“Sam, I am more than capable of providing you with the minimal healing you require. Please do not feel… bad.” Gadreel’s eyes met Sam’s, so full of emotion- of guilt, affection, remorse, kindness and something he couldn’t find a name for.

Sam felt his heart skip a beat.

“I won’t make any promises,” Sam admitted. He grabbed his things and stood to follow Gadreel. They’d given the angel a room eventually, well, they’d let him pick one out. Sam had been a might bit embarrassed, although he hadn’t known why exactly, to find that Gadreel chose one right across the hall from him.

It meant Sam ended up with Gadreel shouting questions at him from his room, about books and movies and other cultural things. It meant Gadreel often noticed when Sam’s light was still on at a time at which he ought to be asleep, and sia dangel then coming and telling him he _ needed to get some rest _ . It meant that sometimes they’d bond over sleepless nights, each haunted by their own demons.

Gadreel technically didn’t need to sleep as an angel, but because of his injuries he… well apparently he ‘went into a kind of trance’- according to the angel himself. 

Either way it was still a kind of sleep, and when rest was impossible for them both they sat on Sam’s bed and watched stupid videos on the internet until one eventually shut their eyes in slumber. It was kind of embarrassing that so far it was always Sam that passed out first.

(Each time he woke to the feeling of being well rested and snuggled comfortably in blankets, his laptop put away carefully like it hadn’t provided a distraction for two haunted souls the night before.)

“Take a seat,” Gadreel intoned, voice low. They were in Gadreel’s room.

Sam was always healed in the angels’ room.

“Sure doc,” Sam joked.

Gadreel tilted his head in confusion, like an adorably confused puppy. “I understand that is a nickname for the term ‘doctor’, but I do not possess the appropriate degrees to deserve such a title.”

Sam… Sam just grinned. “That’s good, because I don’t have insurance.”

It took a very long time for Gadreel to process that. Sam meanwhile was having a hard time keeping a straight face. You’d think seeing an utterly confused angel would lose its amusement after a while, but nope.

“Um, it’s a joke.” Sam explained when the angel didn’t respond.

Gadreel frowned even further, and then his mouth formed a visible ‘o’ shape. “I think I understand, now.” He then stepped closer to where Sam perched on the edge of his mattress. “As per usual, Sam, I ask that you accept my Grace so that the healing process will go smoother.”

Originally it had been tough letting Gadreel touch him. It was stupid, really. Sam couldn’t be possessed again unless he gave his consent, but it still was difficult to trust Gadreel- especially after what had happened with Kevin.

“No problem,” Sam said for what felt like the hundredth time. Don’t get him wrong, Sam did appreciate Gadreel always double checking consent rights, but it got a bit repetitive after a while.

“This won’t take a moment.” Gadreel leaned over him, pressing two fingers to his forehead like most angels did. Sam let out a relieved sigh as the familiar feeling of Gadreel’s Grace spread through him. It didn’t last too long- the feeling of his muscles being eased, the feeling of his ever present aches and pains gradually getting better.

When he pulled away, Sam still felt the…  _ sickness _ in his body- but as per usual after the angels’ healing sessions it wasn’t as bad. He was getting better and better, slow and steady.

“How do you feel?” Gadreel asked. Eyes critical as he examined Sam up and down.

Sometimes Sam wished the angel understood more things. Gadreel’s intense gaze got to him sometimes, like right then for instance. He felt his cheeks heat and he shifted nervously, but of course Gadreel didn’t notice.

_ That _ had been happening more often lately. Sam would find himself… anxious under Gadreel’s attention. He’d say stupid stuff around the angel, laugh too loudly or his palms would get all sweaty...

“Better. Thanks.” Sam started grabbing his stuff back up again and moved to leave. Gadreel often needed a ‘nap’ (serious meditating session) after their healing sessions. Sam was more than happy to give him some space to get on with that.

“Wait,” Gadreel reached out, wrapping his hand lightly around Sam’s elbow. “What is all of that?” The angel asked, gaze flitting down to the armload of random crap Sam had.

“Oh. Stuff I thought might be useful.” Sam sat back down- taking his curiosity as invitation to explain. He spread it out, picking up the closest object first. “See, like this one. It’s a pair of glasses scorched by Holy Fire. We used it on a case-” Sam looked down to unfold the arms of the lenses and put them on. “-To see a bunch of Hellhounds… Oh my God.”

Sam gaped at what he saw. He’d looked up and his eyes had immediately caught on the sight of… wings.  _ Gadreel’s _ wings. Gadreel’s  _ very badly _ damaged wings. They’d been burnt to the bone, a few stray charcoal’esque feathers hanging on for dear life. As he stared at them with a dropped jaw Gadreel bristled, folding them behind his back.

...Almost like he was self conscious about them.

“Sam. It is alright.”

“No! Look at them, oh crap, do they  _ hurt you _ ?”

Gadreel shook his head, raising his hands as though trying to calm Sam down. “They are merely a representation of my Grace–”

“Your Grace is  _ that bad _ ?”

“Not as bad as it looks,” Gadreel said. Sam didn’t buy it.

He stood, moving toward the angel slowly. Sam approached carefully, feeling himself gravitating towards Gadreel. His hand reached up without a thought, sneaking past the other man’s shoulder and resting against the blackened bones that were Gadreel’s wings.

They shifted under his touch, like a shudder was running through the angel. Sam’s eyes narrowed in concentration as he felt along the bend, down towards the tip of the wing. Gadreel’s breaths were the only sound in the room as Sam’s fingers brushed against frayed feathers and ridges.

“Sam,” Gadreel whispered, voice low and reserved. “Could you…”

The youngest Winchester glanced at the angel. “What?”

Wordlessly, Gadreel lifted his wings, spreading them wide enough that the ends had to phase through the wall. Sam stepped back, gazing at them in awe. Despite their injured appearance, they were remarkable. Something he’d only ever seen and imagined in fiction. None of his mental musings could’ve compared to this.

“They’re incredible,” Sam told him honestly, in a breathless murmur. 

Gadreel… Sam could’ve sworn the angel was tearing up a bit.

“Sam. I have not shared space with another who could see my wings- who saw them and viewed them as something worthy of being seen- in a long time.” Gadreel’s voice shook, his wings trembling as Sam reached out for them once more. 

“Then they don’t deserve to see,” Sam’s hand wrapped lightly around the main bone of the angels’ wing. He held it reverently, admiring it because it was so surreal- so heartbreakingly breathtaking. He wondered, just for a moment, what it would have looked like bristling with feathers and healthy with flesh.

The idea didn’t remain though. What he was seeing… that was Gadreel  _ now _ , scarred by his past and broken from the fall. He felt honored to be able to witness the side of him- however accidental. 

“I want to admit something to you, Sam.” Gadreel watched him closely, beautiful hazel gaze intoxicatingly close in proximity. They were face to face now, Sam turned from where he’d been basically  _ caressing _ the angels’ wings. He felt Gadreel’s breath brush against his cheeks, their situation a level of intimate that Sam should’ve felt uncomfortable with.

Instead he only wanted to be closer.

(He would save  _ that _ realization/crisis/wtf moment for later.)

“What is it?” Sam asked, eyes glued to the others’ lips. Out of the corner of his eye he could make out the rise and fall of the angel's’ wings as the warrior breathed in and out.

“One of the main reasons I abandoned Metatrons’ side was because I could not dare to disappoint you.” Gadreel's’ hands raised as though on their own accord, hands coming to rest on Sam’s shoulders. A moment later, Gadreel’s wings were cocooning them both- and it was like the angel didn’t even notice his surely subconscious actions. “To have you here, treating my Grace as something sacred… It is a blessing I do not deserve.”

“We’ve all made mistakes,” Sam reminded- both himself  _ and _ the fallen angel. “Any mistake can be forgiven. I– I didn't think I’d ever reach the point where I wasn’t constantly tearing myself up about  _ Ruby _ and the  _ apocalypse _ and  _ letting Lucifer out of the cage _ . But I have. It takes time, time to heal, time to realise you’re being an idiot and you need to move the hell on.”

Gadreel’s eyes seemed to glow, his mouth drew a tight line as his hands squeezed Sam’s biceps. “And… Can you forgive me? For what I did to you, and nearly did to the prophet.”

Sam stilled, let himself be lost in Gadreel’s gaze. Let himself feel as the angels’ wings blanketed him from the outside world where he worried- where he loathed himself and reminisced on  _ what could have been _ .

“How could I not?” Sam said finally, a truth that made him feel  **so much lighter** to let go of. He’d been holding it back. Holding  **himself** back from fully forgiving the angel. Once he said the words though, he knew them to be honest, down to his very  _ being _ . “You have helped me in more ways than you can imagine, Gadreel. You’ve reminded me what it was like to take care of myself. To  _ love _ myself.”

Sam had been ready to let go, after all. He’d been so close to death, to the end of his suffering. But Gadreel had brought him back (with a bit of help from Dean.) The angel had… put his ass on the line for a tired, broken hunter, and together they were now healing. Sam, sharing his kindness and loyalty with one of Heaven’s most hated angels.

And Gadreel… Letting himself be weak to help Sam be strong.

That was what it was all about, he had realised. It wasn’t the number of mistakes he’d made. It wasn’t the number of heroic acts he’d carried out. No, Gadreel never saw it as any of that- and now Sam didn’t either.

It was the fact that to care for someone else, to be able to take care of them as best one could- you had to take care of yourself as well.

To… To  _ love _ someone else, he had to love  _ himself _ .

And he did love himself, now. After a very very  _ very  _ long line of regret and hate and  _ guilt _ . Gadreel had seen to that- had reminded him of the good he’d done and how truly selfless and good natured he was.

Sam just hoped he could help Gadreel to feel the same way.

“I forgive you,” Sam said- just in case he hadn’t made it clear enough.

Gadreel… Gadreel  _ smiled _ . It was the first smile he had ever seen on the angel, and it was  _ blinding _ .

“Thank you,” he said.

Sam sniffed (he had something in his eye…) and took Gadreel’s hand in his and tugged softly. “How about we take that nap together, huh?”

“It is not a nap,” Gadreel explained but allowed Sam to guide him towards the bed. “Angels are incapable of sleeping. I am curious about dreaming though.”

“Yeah?” Sam drew back the covers, let Gadreel hop in first before climbing in after. They’d never exactly snuggled before, but Sam would be damned if he didn’t take the opportunity to do so.

“Could you tell me some of yours?”

“Well. Sometimes I dream about aliens. Sometimes I dream about magical wifi that worked wherever I went and sometimes…” Sam trailed off, fighting a blush as he slipped in next to the angel. If Gadreel was against their change in proximity, he didn’t mention it. “Sometimes I dream about… this.”

“Oh,” the angel said.

Sam chuckled, shifted so he could rest his head on the angels’ chest. He reached up with one hand and began trailing his fingers down a burned, charred, yet inexplicably wonder wing.

“Should you not take off your glasses? I do not think sleep will be easy with them on.”

“Nah,” Sam said. He smiled as he poked at a new feather growing next to a broken one. “I’m good.”

ᔕᗩᕍᖇᗴᙓᒪ

I like to think about the fact that, even though Sam could  _ see _ Gadreel’s wings, it didn’t mean he should be able to touch them- thus Gadreel let him touch them. 

_ I really hope you liked it. I don’t write about wings very often but I tried my best. I also couldn’t help but put a little Sam love in there because our poor moose deserves more recognition. _

_ P.S They totally fuck instead of sleep XD _

**Author's Note:**

> (I also realised that you were one of the hosts of this challenge, thank you so much and I hope ya'll do it again, it was a tonne of fun!)


End file.
